We present a theoretical study on local and remote responses of atmosphere and ocean meridional heat transports (AHT and OHT, respectively) to climate forcing in a coupled energy balance model. We show that, in general, a surface heat flux forces opposite AHT and OHT responses in the so-called compensation response, while a net heat flux into the coupled system forces AHT and OHT responses of the same direction in the so-called collaboration response. Furthermore, unless the oceanic thermohaline circulation is significantly changed, a remote climate response far away from the forcing region tends to be dominated by the collaboration response, because of the effective propagation of a coupled ocean–atmosphere energy transport mode of collaboration structure. The relevance of our theory to previous CGCM experiments is also discussed. Our theoretical result provides a guideline for understanding of the response of heat transports and the associated climate changes.